Last week was a very proud one for Cascade Cadence and for me personally—on Monday, November 19, 2018, Cascade Cadence became a member of 1% for the Planet.

If you’re not familiar with 1% for the Planet, members of the organization pledge to donate at least 1 percent of their annual revenue directly to approved environmental nonprofits. The network was started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, the founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, and consists of more than 1,200 member businesses, numerous individuals, and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 40 countries. Members of 1% for the Planet have given more than $150 million back to environmental nonprofits since 2002.

“To do good, you actually have to do something.” – Yvon Chouinard

There are a number of reasons why I’ve decided to join 1% for the Planet and donate 1 percent of Cascade Cadence’s revenue to environmental nonprofits.

It’s not because I have or my business has money to burn; rather the opposite at this point, as any company founder no doubt knows or will no doubt remember! But there was never a question as to whether Cascade Cadence would join 1% for the Planet as soon as we had the funds. (Thank you to past and current clients who have made this possible!)

It’s certainly not because of recent, widely publicized research showing that “two-thirds of consumers worldwide now buy on beliefs”, implying I’d be joining 1% for the Planet in an effort to attract more business. That’s the kind of thinking embraced by cynical, dead-eyed executives who salivate over the swelling value of their stock options while shamelessly dissembling from a list of hollow 'corporate values’.

This isn’t a marketing initiative. This isn’t part of a business plan.

This is, in my opinion, simply the right thing to do.

I’m making Cascade Cadence a member of 1% for the Planet because, like it or not, the strongest force for change in the world is money, and by using our money to support a healthy environment and to preserve the most beautiful natural places on Earth, we’re doing a small part to drive a positive change.

I’m making Cascade Cadence a member of 1% for the Planet because I’m the father of two small children, and I want them to grow up in a world where they’re surrounded by the stunning natural beauty I’ve been lucky enough to experience in my life, not a world where that beauty is diminished or destroyed, or a world threatened by ever more frequent and destructive environmental disasters.

I’m making Cascade Cadence a member of 1% of the Planet because, selfishly, I love to play in and explore mountains, woods, rivers, beaches and other stunning natural environments, and I want these places to be preserved for me, my family and future generations to enjoy.

I’m making Cascade Cadence a member of 1% for the Planet because, in the words of one of my literary heroes, Edward Abbey, “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.”

There’s no need to delve into the details. The scientific evidence of climate change and environmental degradation is clear and overwhelming. The anecdotal evidence surrounds us.

If it’s not already too late, the time for change is now, and the people to make that change are you and me. I’m far from a perfect environmentalist, but joining 1% for the Planet is a small way I can help make a change for good.

I’m proud to make the support of environmental preservation a cornerstone of Cascade Cadence Content Marketing’s work right from the get-go. It’s a small commitment, but when combined with the efforts of like-minded people and businesses, I hope it will be an impactful one.